Other technologies


Lubrication system improves container crane efficiency

3rd Quarter 2013 Other technologies

KF has installed the SKF Proflex automated lubrication systems in the MSC Home Terminal cranes in Europe’s second largest port, Belgium’s Port of Antwerp, enabling the customer to reduce manual maintenance by about 1900 hours annually.

On average, the customer spent about 90 hours to perform lubrication routines manually and this was carried out when the cranes were not in operation. As the container port traffic experiences double digit growth yearly, the terminal operator faces increased time pressure and shorter maintenance windows to carry out the work.

“By automating the lubrication process, the SKF ProFlex system is an ideal solution for our customer. Previous manual lubrication routines required a lot of man-hours per year, per crane. SKF ProFlex systems are now supporting crane availability and are helping to cut downtime and productivity loss. The systems also eliminate the safety risks workers are exposed to if they would need to perform manual lubrication work on the cranes,” says Henrik Lange, SKF president of industrial market, strategic industries.

The SKF ProFlex system features a pump unit that delivers grease to a series of progressive feeders, which can automatically supply a defined amount of lubricant up to 150 lubrication points. The installed system at the port lubricates the wheel base, winch and trolley, supplying the exact amount of lubricant to over 60 points on each crane. Additionally, SKF fitted each SKF ProFlex system with control options on pumps, distributors and feeders, allowing the customer to monitor the systems from the office and keeping the cranes in optimal condition.

For more information contact Samantha Joubert, SKF South Africa, +27 (0)11 821 3500, [email protected], www.skf.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Cogged raw edge belts
SKF South Africa Shaft power components
SKF’s cogged raw edge belts are ideally suited for essentially any industrial application that runs on ISO wedge and classical V-belt pulleys.

Read more...
First recyclable plastic bicycle frame
igus Other technologies
Industrial polymer developer and manufacturer, igus has unveiled the first injection-moulded polymer bicycle frame designed for advanced bikes, marking a major milestone in sustainable mobility

Read more...
Vibration test system supports international space industry
TANDM Technologies Other technologies
Dragonfly Aerospace has launched EOS SAT-1, one of seven satellites in the world’s first agricultural-focused constellation. With optimisation of resources being a key component for Dragonfly, it called on TANDM to assist in creating and heavily expanding its environmental testing capabilities by providing a vibration test system that allowed it to perform in-house vibration and shock testing.

Read more...
RS PRO a key partner for planned maintenance
RS South Africa Other technologies
RS PRO, the own-brand of RS, offers a comprehensive selection of over 80 000 products spanning all industries and technologies.

Read more...
Addressing water conservation challenges
Other technologies
A recent report by the University of California underscores the urgent need for innovative strategies to improve water conservation efforts. David Strain, director at Technidrive, and an expert on integrated automation systems, explains why quarrying thickeners have emerged as a promising solution.

Read more...
Taking reliability to the trenches
SKF South Africa Shaft power components
SKF’s maintenance-free Y Bearing Unit has significantly extended equipment uptime for key customer Gibela, a leading level 5CE CIBD-rated civils company with more than ten years of experience in the field.

Read more...
Oil quality sensors for lubrication management
Other technologies
In an era where operational efficiency and machine health are critical, oil quality sensors are indispensable tools for successful lubrication management.

Read more...
New lubrication-free rod ends
igus Other technologies
The constant need for relubrication of metallic bearing points on rod ends in industrial applications is a time-consuming and expensive exercise and poses a real contamination risk. As a result, igus has developed maintenance-free polymer-hybrid spherical bearings which are a safer and more cost-effective alternative.

Read more...
Millions of tons of grease and oil in our waterways and environment
igus Other technologies
Shocking statistics reveal that approximately 50% of lubricants used on industrial machines and equipment eventually makes their way into the environment, where just one litre of used oil has the capacity to poison about a million litres of water.

Read more...
Navigating the cosmos with precision
SKF South Africa Shaft power components
As the next-generation Very Large Array navigates towards its key science goals, SKF’s technology is playing a pivotal role in charting the stars. SKF is providing key components for the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA), a $2 billion telescope system that aims to peer deeper into the universe than ever before.

Read more...